Central Team to Visit Flood Hit Tamil Nadu

New Delhi: Government on Tuesday said a team of officials will visit Tamil Nadu to make first-hand assessment of the damage caused by floods on Thursday.

A team will also be sent to Andhra Pradesh as soon as its memorandum is received, the Finance Ministry said in a statement. The team will include representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Rural Development, Drinking Water and Power from Delhi, representatives of Ministries of Road Transport and Highways and Health from Chennai and Central Water Commission, Ministry of Water Resources from Bengaluru.

The Government of India is deputing a team of the Central Government officials to Tamil Nadu on November 26, 2015 to make a first-hand assessment of the damage. A Central team will also be sent to State of Andhra Pradesh as soon as its memorandum is received,” the statement said.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had earlier sent a letter enclosing detailed memorandum on the damages from the recent floods. The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh had sought central assistance in connection with flood damage.

“The Central Government, taking note of the severe flood situation in the States of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, took immediate steps to release funds to the two States to augment their liquidity position,” the Ministry said.

In case of Tamil Nadu, the government has so far released Rs 939 crore, while Rs 700 crore was released yesterday to Andhra Pradesh, in addition to Rs 330 crore given earlier. “Further assistance, if any, beyond the SDRF (State Disaster Relief Fund) available to the States will be decided by the Central Government after examining the assessment made by the Central Team,” the Finance Ministry said.